FLORENCE, S.C. — The veteran South Carolina paramedic who was critically injured after her ambulance was struck by a drunk driver has returned home from the hospital after 22 days in intensive care.
SCNow.com reported Florence County EMS paramedic Sgt. Tessie Odom Smith was escorted home by fire and medical personnel Thursday. The Howe Springs Fire Department wrote a Facebook post about Odom Smith.
“Tessie Smith has overcome some of the most serious injuries that we have ever seen,” the post said. “She told me Monday that she was ready to start recovering so she could start running calls again.”
Odom Smith served as the Howe Springs medical officer, was a senior firefighter and driver with the department for six years. Fire Chief Billy Dillon said she was in charge of coordinating medical training, equipment purchasing and organizing blood drives for the department.
“It was with great honor to be able to escort her home with the apparatus that she loved to work on so much,” Chief Dillon said. “Her family is strong, as is Tessie, so we will be here as a department to knock down any walls that may stand in their way.”
Chief Dillon said he hopes the incident will draw attention to the dangers first responders face.
“I hope the world can see now that all public servants put their lives at risk every day, and they all deserve the same recognition,” he said.
Escorting our firefighter/medic home to begin her healing process. Tessie Smith has overcome some of the most serious...
Posted by Howe Springs Fire Department on Thursday, March 31, 2016